Working Roots

This interactive 2023-24 HBCU Scholars Fellowship presentation explores the historical connections between African American magic traditions—such as Hoodoo or Rootwork—and strategies of resistance to anti-black violence.

We will consider how enslaved Africans created magical objects, techniques, and concepts that have survived into the era of #BlackLivesMatter. From the uses of graveyard dirt to the Book of Psalms as a book of spells, this presentation challenges audiences to connect the role of liberation throughout African American religious history, in general, to the more specific context of magic’s application during slave rebellions and contemporary protests against police brutality. Healing and harming through supernatural means, in this way, becomes a radical practice governed by the pursuit of freedom.

Connect with culture. Enjoy the discussion, food and beverages.